What to expect from your cochlear implant

Thousands of adults and children all over the world rely on their cochlear implant in daily life. Over the past 30 years, this solution has made considerable progress, and today users report being able to hear sounds that they thought they would never be able to hear again.

Cochlear implants do not claim to restore perfect and natural hearing. Only a natural ear can achieve this. Instead, they help to open up the world of sound for people suffering from hearing loss. When they were first introduced, cochlear implants only allowed sound to be perceived. Today, improvements in the sound quality of the signal mean that users can understand speech in different types of listening environments, enjoy music and hear a wide variety of sounds.

Anyone considering cochlear implantation should be aware that the best result requires patience, motivation and commitment to fitting and rehabilitation sessions.

Children and cochlear implants

With a cochlear implant, children can develop language skills and acquire the confidence and independence needed to attend school and progress through the educational system.

The success of the cochlear implant is dependent on a number of factors, including the cause and duration of hearing loss and its potential physiological consequences. In addition, children with cochlear implants require the support and commitment of their families and others to be able to adapt to this new way of hearing and acquire speech and language skills.

Achieving success with cochlear implantation

It’s important to remember that although cochlear implants enable hearing, they will never provide natural hearing. Being aware of this fact and maintaining realistic expectations of life with a cochlear implant will lead to greater success with this solution.